Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to encourage countries neighbouring southern Syria to (a) open their borders to civilians fleeing violence and (b) permit the delivery of cross-border aid to Syria.

We are deeply concerned about the numbers of displaced people in Southern Syria and are supporting this population through our humanitarian programmes, working closely with the UN and the Jordanian authorities. We are continually assessing the impact of events on the ground, and engaging with the Jordanian authorities on options for ensuring the protection of civilians. We also welcome Jordan’s diplomatic efforts to end the on-going violence.